Printable Scavenger Hunt Cardspicture prompts on a keyring, no reading needed
Free printable cards designed to be printed, hole-punched and popped onto a keyring, so they are always within reach when you need them most.
Each card has a playful prompt plus a picture, so a child who cannot read yet can play without help.
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They work two ways, which is why they last
You can use the images on the card as the activity. Or you can take it a step further and search for real-life objects in the environment around you.
So when a card says "count all the squares," you might spot a square cushion, a box, a tile, or something unexpected. Same card, completely different hunt, every single time. That is what stops them getting stale after a fortnight.
Where these earn their keep
Those in-between moments. Waiting at the doctor. Sitting in a café. Standing in a queue. Filling time between activities.
The prompts are grounding, mindful and regulating. They give a child something engaging to focus on without needing a screen, a table, or anything you have to carry.
Why giving a child a job settles them
A child who has been told to wait has nothing to do and no control over when it ends.
Giving them a task changes the shape of the wait. Not because it distracts them, but because looking for something is active, has a clear finish, and puts them back in charge of something. That combination is settling in a way that handing over a phone is not.
Set them up properly, once
Print, hole-punch the corner, and put them on a keyring or a carabiner. Clip that to the nappy bag or the pram and forget about it. The whole point is that they are already there when you need them, rather than at home in a drawer.
Laminate first if you have a laminator. They live in a bag, and bags are hostile to paper.
If you like these, the base game is free and needs no printing
There is a version of this on my 30 Days of Play calendar. Choose a base, a cushion or a rug, then call out "touch something blue" or "find something soft" and have your child race back. Same idea, no cards, works in a loungeroom.
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Frequently asked questions
What age are the scavenger hunt cards for?+
Roughly 2 to 8 years. Younger children use the pictures, older children take on the counting prompts or run the game for a sibling.
Can my child use these if they cannot read?+
Yes. Every card has a picture alongside the prompt on purpose.
How do I stop them getting boring?+
Use them for real objects around you rather than the pictures on the card. "Count all the squares" means something different in a café than it does in a waiting room.
Do I need to laminate them?+
It helps, but a keyring and a bit of sticky tape will do.
Keep going
Paediatric OT with 9 years of experience working with children and families. Kidera exists to make OT-informed tools accessible to every parent, not just those in clinic.
These are general, evidence-informed resources. They are not a diagnosis and not a substitute for assessment by a registered health practitioner. If you have concerns about your child's development, speak with your GP, child health nurse, or a paediatric therapist.